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Inventure Foods Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Fresh Frozen Foods

Inventure Foods, Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., signed a letter of intent to purchase substantially all of the assets of Fresh Frozen Foods, LLC, a Jefferson, Ga.-based branded frozen vegetable processor. Fresh Frozen Foods supplies more than 60 varieties of frozen vegetables and fruits to retail outlets throughout the Southeast United States and the Caribbean Islands.

The letter of intent, which is non-binding except for confidentiality and no-shop provisions, contemplates a purchase price of $38 million at closing, plus deferred consideration in the form of an earn out of up to $3 million based on 2014 performance, subject to certain closing and post-closing purchase price adjustments. The transaction remains subject to completion of due diligence, agreement on a definitive purchase agreement and other customary closing conditions. The parties anticipate that definitive documents will be signed and closed on or about Nov. 1. Inventure will fund the purchase price from a new senior syndicated credit facility that will be funded prior to closing. The transaction, if consummated, is anticipated to be immediately accretive to earnings.

"Our family business has achieved great consumer awareness of our brand, our clear bags and our ‘Quality You Can See...And Taste’ tagline,” says Bill Griffin, president of Fresh Frozen. “Fresh Frozen has established a very strong market position in the Southeast. Inventure is well positioned to help us meet growing demand, increase our footprint into more doors beyond the region and expand our product offerings to existing retail markets, foodservice distributors and industrial customers. I look forward to working together with the Inventure team to continue to grow our businesses."

"This acquisition allows Inventure to add uniquely positioned frozen vegetables to our healthy/natural portfolio for the first time, while also expanding our [individually-quick frozen] processing capabilities for fruits and vegetables in a new geographic region," says Terry McDaniel, chief executive officer of Inventure Foods. "Fresh Frozen has reported 15% average annual revenue growth over the last three years. Frozen vegetables are a $4.6 billion category and the company continues to perform well in the category with a year-over-year increase of over 15% for the last 12 weeks, according to recent IRI data. The unique location of Fresh Frozen's processing facility in Thomasville, Ga., will provide year-round freezing operations, which increases our geographic footprint. Additionally, both Fresh Frozen operations allow us to leverage our business and support future growth."